Cobneb-stay fob beceptacles



H. .I. LONGENECKER. CORNER STAY FOR RECEPTACLES. APPLICATION FILED m. is. 1920.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

I INVEAIITOR' ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

s nowAIm J. LoNeENEcxEIt, or YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQR To YORK HEATING AND VENTILATING CORPORATION, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A conro- BATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CORNER-STAY FOR RECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD J. LONGE- Nnonnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of York, county of York, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corner-Stays for Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

Some of the objects of the present inven tion are to provide an improved corner stay for receptacles, trays or the like; to provide means for spacing superposed receptacles; to provide means for forming passages for air between and around superposed receptacles; to provide means for removably securing two or more receptacles together in a manner to cause the contents of said receptacles to be subjected to a circulation of air or other agent; to provide means for re inforcing the corners of receptacles; to provide interfitting means between two or more receptacles whereby lateral relative movement is prevented between the receptacles while allowing said receptacles to be separated one from another; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation of one form of a corner stay embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 represents a perspective of a plurality of receptacles equipped with the present invention and arranged in operative relation.

Referring to the drawings one form of the present invention consists of a body 10 of metal or any other material suitable for the purpose of forming a strong, rigid stay for a corner of a receptacle. In the presentinstance a pan or tray 11 is shown provided at each corner with one of the stays formed by the body 10, though it will be understood that the pan shown is only by way of example and that the invention is not limited in its use to any particular type of receptacle.

In order to secure the stay to the corner of the tray 11 the body 10 is provided with a pair of wings or flanges 12, preferably integral with the body 10, and extending outwardly therefrom in such a manner that the inner opposed faces 13 of the flanges 12 lie respectively in planes which, as here shown, are at right angles in order to abut the corner of an ordinary rectangular receptacle. Naturally the angular relation of the flanges 12 may be varied to suit conditions where the receptacle is of other than a rectangular form. Each of the flanges 12 is provided wish a plurality of openings 14 for the purpose of receiving rivets 15 respectively or any other suitable fastening devices by means of which the body 10 can be fixed in position upon the tray 11. It w1ll be noted that the openings 14 are preferably staggered, vertically considered, while the outer edge of each flange 12 is incl ned as shown at 16 to provide a relatively wide base portion adjacent the bottom of the tray or receptacle 11 to give strength where needed and to distribute any strain upon the fastening means.

For the purpose of fitting the stay snugly to the receptacle corner in a manner to reduce projecting portions to a minimum the body 10 is provided with a groove or channel 17 extending longitudinally thereof between the inner opposed edges of the flanges 12 and of a length suflicient to receive and accommodate the side of the tray or receptacle to which the stay is to be attached. The depth of the groove'li' is also proportioned to allow plenty of clearance for the entering corner of the tray as will be understood.

As a means for supporting one'tray 11 upon another in spaced relation through the medium of the stay or stays, the body 10 is preferably extended at one end and arranged to form a seat 20 which is located a distance above the upper edge 21 of the tray 11 to give the desired spacing between the superposed receptacles. Projecting from the seat 20 is a pin or lug 22 which serves to interfit with a stay of the next adjacent upper tray 11 and prevent relative lateral movement between the trays 11. The opposite end of the body 10 is provided with a tubular extension 23, forming a socket of suitable shape and dimensions to encircle the pin 22 of an adjacent stay and rest upon the seat 20 of that stay as a support. The construction is such that one stay may be superposed upon and supported by another stalyl but is freely removable therefrom at w1 Thus where a plurality of trays 11 are each provided at all corners with stays, of the present invention, it will be evident that one tray may be readily placed upon another and held in. spaced relation therewith, while lateral relative movement of the trays is prevented. 1

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a receptacle construction has been devised whereby the corners are reinforced in aneifective manner to provide a stifl, rigid structure capable of withstanding hard usage without buckling in any part or breaking open at the corners. Furthermore, the construction is such as to provide a free, unobstructed space between superposed receptacles whereby air can circulate around and between the receptacles to cause a quick drying of the contents of the receptacles where the receptacles are employed as driers for candy or any other products which are to be subjected to the action of air, steam or any other agent.

It has heretofore been pro osed for example in the patent to Rapp, 0. 1,010,801, December 5, 1911, to provide stays for pans with a view to form passages for air around the pans but these have been found to unduly weight the corners of the pans, to be extremely difficult to fit one within the other and to readily become bent out of shape. It is desirable in the commercial manufacture and practical use of devices of this character that the parts be made simple and strong, and that they be constructed in such a manner as to be readily handled by unskilled labor. The present invention is clearly differentiated from the foregoing patented device and others of a like character as will be apparent to those skilled in the art since it eliminates offsets or irre ular projections which cause diificulty in han ling and using the trays; reduces the metal projecting portions of the stays, thereby giving greater rigidity and strength; and provides a simple efiective interfitting connection which maintains its alinement at all times so that the parts can be quickly assembled and disassembled.

Furthermore a distinct advantage resides in the provision of the groove 17 which is interiorly rounded. so that the body 10 is substantially tubular and the entire stay construction is free from sharp angles or corners, in which the contents of the receptacles, dirt deposits or the like can readily collect. With rounded or curved surfaces the stays are readily cleaned and can be maintained in a sanitary condition.

While the foregoing has referred more particularly to the stay as one suited to be applied to the corners of a receptacle, it should be understood that instances might arise when a stay of this character would be applied to some other portion of a receptacle, say for example the sides or ends and it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is such as to include any other location than the corners specifically.

Although only one of the forms in which this invention may be embodied has been described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to any \specific form but might be embodied in various forms Without departing from this invention or the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

A receptacle construction comprising a body provided with a reduced portion to a form a pin and a shoulder, a pair of angularly disposed flanges arranged to seat against a receptacle, means for fixedly securing said flanges to said receptacle, and a tubular socket formed on the opposite end of said body from said pin and having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said pin, said socket and shoulder being so arranged that when the said socket seats on the shoulder of another body on a second receptacle the opposed edges of said receptacles are spaced apart.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of December 1919.

HOWARD J. LoNGENEdKER. 

